#1 the pens do very little of it and/or some of the other teams do so much of it it seems like the pens seldom do it enough. Regardless it is such a killjoy watching the game when a team just blocks shot after shot after shot. There are some nights a traffic cone could play in net for the Bruins the way they block shots.

I don't know what the Nhl's answer could be regarding the shot blocking but it has gotten pretty bad. I wish they would shrink the damn goalie equipment. That in itself would help a ton.

I do have a remedy when facing a team that just blocks every single shot and it never even reaches the net. Shoot the puck at their face. No I don't wish injury to a player but if you whistle a few pucks by the ear of said Mr eager shot blocker, Mr eager shot bloacker won't be so eager anymore. Watch those shooting lanes open right up. It might have helped the pens not give a shutout every night in last year's eastern conference final.

P.s. sucks that we are left to discuss goalie equipment, shot blocking and everything else instead of a Pens ECF matchup.

Against Montreal and NY... when you identify the other team is blocking shots - I have no problem letting Malkin rip as many as he can as high as he can. Invest a bit - don't worry about "getting it through", just let the other team know that it's not going to go where the equipment is perfect for it all the time.

DropEmJayBird wrote:Against Montreal and NY... when you identify the other team is blocking shots - I have no problem letting Malkin rip as many as he can as high as he can. Invest a bit - don't worry about "getting it through", just let the other team know that it's not going to go where the equipment is perfect for it all the time.

Or you could tell Letang to try and hit the middle of the net... :pop:

You know i guess this would be to drastic of a move for the NHL but if you stopped players from laying down on the ice to block shots it would increase shot toals, higher shot toals would lead to more goals. That would be a good thing in my book. Its not like you are changing the fabric of the game, atleast not to me, other purist it might be to much.

Players would be allowed to defend in the usual sence you could still get infront of shots by going down to one knee. Not a bad idea.

I can't really remember it but didn't someone get suspended or something a few years ago for what they thought was purposely shooting a puck at a player? Actually, that might have been after the whistle.

I specifically remember Mario doing that once from the left point. I'm pretty sure he was either fed up with the shot blocking or mad at the defender. He just wound up and cranked it into some poor guy's face. Guy went to the dressing room and didn't return. Hey if they are gonna get in the way...

A shot blocking defense can be frustrating to play against when you're rushing plays and trying to shoot (yes, SHOOOT!!!1!) quickly. But its easily countered and can actually be a blessing in disguise with just a little patience.

A guy who lays down to block a shot is essentially taking himself out of the play and giving you time and space, but only if you slow down and make a smart play around him.

If Orpik shoots right away, the shot is blocked and the period is over. Instead, Atkinson takes himself out of the play by laying down, allowing Orpik the time to move to the middle and get off a shot.

I think when we are talking about shot blocking - it's not so much guys laying on the ice...it's more of a "pack the front of the net" mentality - where there are most likely 3 to 4 guys in the shooting lane.

Scott wrote:#1 the pens do very little of it and/or some of the other teams do so much of it it seems like the pens seldom do it enough. Regardless it is such a killjoy watching the game when a team just blocks shot after shot after shot. There are some nights a traffic cone could play in net for the Bruins the way they block shots.

I don't know what the Nhl's answer could be regarding the shot blocking but it has gotten pretty bad. I wish they would shrink the damn goalie equipment. That in itself would help a ton.

I do have a remedy when facing a team that just blocks every single shot and it never even reaches the net. Shoot the puck at their face. No I don't wish injury to a player but if you whistle a few pucks by the ear of said Mr eager shot blocker, Mr eager shot bloacker won't be so eager anymore. Watch those shooting lanes open right up. It might have helped the pens not give a shutout every night in last year's eastern conference final.

P.s. sucks that we are left to discuss goalie equipment, shot blocking and everything else instead of a Pens ECF matchup.

So you are in favor of re-signing Orpik as a player/shoot at players' faces coach?

It's a copycat league. Right now, it's reasonably effective to pack the net. Someone will figure out how to make it not effective, and it'll go away on its own, hopefully. I'm not sure how you'd make rule changes to get rid of it without causing more harm than good.

DropEmJayBird wrote:Against Montreal and NY... when you identify the other team is blocking shots - I have no problem letting Malkin rip as many as he can as high as he can. Invest a bit - don't worry about "getting it through", just let the other team know that it's not going to go where the equipment is perfect for it all the time.